Today In History: Scopes Trial Begins

The basic freedoms of speech, religion, academic freedom to teach

and to think for oneself defended at Dayton are not so distantly

removed; each generation, each person must defend these freedoms

or risk losing them forever. 

-- JohnT. Scopes, from Center of the Storm (p293).

On July 10th, 1925, John Thomas Scopes, a twenty-five year-old high school science and math teacher in Dayton, Tennessee, was brought to trial for violating the Butler Act, a law that prohibited teaching the theory of human evolution in public schools. The highly publicized case was led by prosecutor William Jennings Bryan, three-time presidential candidate and former secretary of state,  and Clarence Darrow, an agnostic labor and criminal defense attorney. The trial was the first-ever in America to be nationally broadcast by radio, raising heated religious controversy and questions as to what should be taught in schools. Christian fundamentalists believed in the absolute word of God, while modernists believed that evolution could exist within a religious framework. Shouldn't teachers, inspired by scientific literature, have freedom in their classroom to explore new concepts, and not be tied to conservative religious influences, especially within the Bible belt? Would evolutionary biology have a place in the life sciences, the study of living organisms and life processes among humans, animals, plants, and microorganisms? 

Searing summer temperatures and cramped conditions moved the court outdoors, marked by displays of clothed monkeys, revival tents, and primate-themed souvenirs. On the eighth day, John Scopes was convicted and bore a $100 fine that was later overturned on a technicality.  He left teaching to pursue graduate studies in geology at the University of Chicago, and then worked as a geologist for a petroleum company until his retirement in 1964.

While conversations on evolutionary theory began in 1859 with the bestselling publication of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species, The State of Tennessee vs. John Thomas Scopes fueled the dialogue that continues to this day.  At Teachers College,  Professor Emeritus Louis Forsdale, an expert in communication and education, created an historic time capsule entitled, "It All Started with an Ape That Learned to Speak."

The following articles are drawn from Proquest Historical Newspapers, which informs and inspires classroom teaching and learning.

• Essary, J. F. (1925, May 25). Tennessee Evolution Case Before Grand Jury Today: Special Inquest at Dayton Will Consider Charges Against John T. Scopes, High School Teacher. Speedy Trial If He's Indicted. The Sun (1837-) 
• School Texts in Tennessee Defy 'Ape Law': John T. Scopes, Indicted for Teaching Evolution, Says Pupils Continue to Study Theory Banned by Statute, Cites Offending Phrases, Dayton Instructor to Confer Today with Lawyers Preparing for Defense. (1925, Jun 08). The New York Herald, New York Tribune (1924-1926) 
• Kinsley, P. (1925, Jul 04). Will Ask U.S. Writ to Stop Scopes Trail: Defense to Invoke Constitution. Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963) 
• Kinsley, P. (1925, Jul 15). Leak Irks Judge; Halts Case: To Uphold Law in Scopes Trial; Prayers Go On; Develops into Bitter Religious Fight. Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963) 
• Science Comes to Aid Mr. John T. Scopes: Staunch Defender of Theory of Evolution Given Scholarship Fund. (1925, Nov 19). The China Press (1925-1938) 
• Scopes and His 'Monkey Trial': Sis Days or Forever? Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes. (1958, Apr 13). The Washington Post and Times Herald (1954-1959) 
• Scopes, J. T., Presley, J., & Oberbeck, S. K. (1967, Feb 20). Mr. Scopes. Newsweek, 69, 94. 
• John T. Scopes: Teacher of Evolution Lost 1925 Monkey Trial. (1970, Oct 23). The Globe and Mail (1936-) 
• Bible, J. (1972, Sep 24). The Scopes 'Monkey Trial': Forty-Seven Years After Mencken Reveled in Its Circus-Like Setting. The Sun (1837-) 
• Beck, M., Carroll, G., Wright, L., & Burgower, B. (1986, Jul 28). A Reprise of Scopes: Once Again, Fundamentalists and Educators Battle in a Tennessee Court. Newsweek, 108, 18-20. 

Tips:

• Darrow, Clarence, and S. T. Joshi. Closing Arguments : Clarence Darrow on Religion, Law, and Society. First edition. Ohio University Press, 2005. e-book.
• Darwin, Charles. The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or, the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life and the Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex. The Modern Library, 1936.  TCANA ; QH365 .O2 1936.
• Ipsen, D. C., and Richard Cuffari. Eye of the Whirlwind : The Story of John Scopes. Addison-Wesley, 1973. Closed Stacks Curr ; KF224.S3 I7.
• Lienesch, Michael. In the Beginning : Fundamentalism, the Scopes Trial, and the Making of the Antievolution Movement. First edition. University of North Carolina Press, 2007. e-book.
• Moore, Randy, et al. The Scopes Monkey Trial. Arcadia Publishing, 2016. e-book.
• Rios, Christopher M. After the Monkey Trial : Evangelical Scientists and a New Creationism. First edition. Fordham University Press, 2014. e-book.
• Scopes, John Thomas, and James Presley. Center of the Storm : Memoirs of John T. Scopes. [First edition]., Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1967. Stacks ; QH362 .S38. e-book.

Images:

• Mammals, Monkey, Rhesus. 1931. Rothman Lantern Slide Collection, Courtesy of Teachers College, Columbia University.
• Poster Image: Scopes Trial Historical Marker, by Bneu2013, Wikimedia Commons.
• Brian Toy Ape, Carol Cade Children's Art, Teachers College, Columbia University.

Need to keep current, look to the past, teach a topic? The Everett Cafe features daily postings of news from around the world, and also promotes awareness of historical events from an educational context. Be sure to check additional Cafe News postings on the library blog.